Suggestions for future revisions of Studio

[Deleted User] · February 2008

Who is reporting what?

For those of you that are taking ownership and reporting the bug/feature, please post what item number you are handling.

And feel free to continue to debate the importance of any item before reporting it.

Thanks much.

filpee · February 2008

4) Improve auto-suggest / complete for STRUCTs

Often when typing in a struct the auto suggest does not give a list of the options.

DEFINE_TYPE

Structure _MyStruct
{
    long Num
    char Name[30]
}

DEFINE_VARIABLE

_MyStruct UserNames

DEFINE_START

UserNames.Num = 10001;
UserNames.Name = "'Hello'"

When you code in UserNames. a list does not always apear to allow you to select which item in the structure you wanted to work with.

Now that I think of it I get the same issue with stack_vars all the time. I find that locally declared stack_vars nearly allways do not autocomplete.

I think this can also be combined with having the auto suggest to be turned off for comments.

Has it been mentioned to get the auto suggest to work with include files? Or was that just text highlighting?

jjames · February 2008

filpee wrote:

Has it been mentioned to get the auto suggest to work with include files? Or was that just text highlighting?

I had mentioned it in this post, #2 in my suggestions.

Mathieu · February 2008

Adding

1) a function, call tracking! With huge code listing it's often hard to found the function or call definition... it's a standard feature in most of programming soft.

jjames post is interresting too !

http://www.amxforums.com/showpost.php?p=18682&postcount=28

jjames · February 2008

Mathieu wrote:

1) a function, call tracking! With huge code listing it's often hard to found the function or call definition... it's a standard feature in most of programming soft.

Hello Mathieu!

Actually, we can already do that. There's a function called "Goto Functions/Subs" which is under the Edit menu. I customize my bar up on top to include that - it's very handy. Though I find myself using the "Search" function more and more - and not using the little drop down.

Hope this helps!

chill · February 2008

jjames wrote:

I think it'd be nice if NS2 got away from the Scintilla editor, and used something a bit more friendlier, such as [snip]

What I was getting at earlier was that for those who don't like the built-in (Scintilla?) editor, perhaps offer them a choice of editors, to include whatever is installed on their machine, with the built-in editor as the default for new installations. Personally I can live with the one that ships with NS. Even now, you're free to use an outboard editor if you feel that strongly :^)

chill · February 2008

...and as long as we're asking for features, how about letting me see strings to and from IP-controlled devices in the notifications?

mpullin · February 2008

chill wrote:

...and as long as we're asking for features, how about letting me see strings to and from IP-controlled devices in the notifications?

I second that remark. Why can't we do this?

vining · February 2008

mpullin wrote:
Quote:
Originally Posted by chill
...and as long as we're asking for features, how about letting me see strings to and from IP-controlled devices in the notifications?

I second that remark. Why can't we do this?

Put me on this want list.

yuri · February 2008

mpullin wrote:

I second that remark. Why can't we do this?

use send_string 0, 'text' for that.

but i would like to see it too

filpee · March 2008

The ability to collapse switch/case, select/active, waits, for loops, if statements etc etc

trav · March 2008

Or.....

Or, as I said, we can just wait for them to release the Netlinx plugin for eclipse which provides everything listed in this thread and MORE.

So, just sit back, relax and wait.

ericmedley · March 2008

Auto indent is broke or doesn't work the same way. It goofes up my old code and drives me crazy. I do want it on, because I don't like hitting tab 4 and 5 times on each line.

I'm one of those poeple who indents both braces.

ex.

PUSH:
   {
   //   CODE CODE CODE
   IF(Some Condition)
      {
       //do something
      }
   ELSE
      {
       // do something else
      }
   }  // end PUSH:

However, whenever I re-open a project written this way, here's what the code editor brings up.

PUSH:
{
//   CODE CODE CODE
IF(Some Condition)
{
//do something
}
ELSE
{
// do something else
}
}  // end PUSH:

...very annoying with some of the complex functions I do...

If I turn off auto-indent, it will 'sometimes' leave my formatting alone. But, like I said, it's more annoying to bang on the tab key for every line.

jjames · March 2008

ericmedley wrote: »

Auto indent is broke or doesn't work the same way. It goofes up my old code and drives me crazy. I do want it on, because I don't like hitting tab 4 and 5 times on each line.

I'm one of those poeple who indents both braces.

Imagine, if you didn't indent both braces, you'd only have to hit it 3-4 times.

I haven't seen the issue you're talking about though. I'll have to play around with it. And you say it's only for older code, and doesn't happen with new code?

ericmedley · March 2008

jjames wrote: »

Imagine, if you didn't indent both braces, you'd only have to hit it 3-4 times.

I haven't seen the issue you're talking about though. I'll have to play around with it. And you say it's only for older code, and doesn't happen with new code?

Yes, it would be easier if i didn't indent the braces, but you obviously have forgotten what a creature of habit I am...

No, it happens with everything I do. If I re-open a project, it messes up all formatting. I've just kinda learned to deal with it.

mpullin · March 2008

If I have a TP file open in TPDesign4, and I try to do a file transfer involving that panel file, NS will whine at me "Something.TD4 is in use by another application and cannot be transferred!" with an OK button. I click OK and it transfers the remaining files in the transfer anyway (if I'm not lucky enough to right click real quickly on the bottom pane and cancel all transfers). So now I have to wait for my Master to reboot before I can try to send the panel file again. This is massively irritating from a user interface design standpoint. You're telling me I screwed up but you're giving me no options to correct the problem.

One improvement would be, "You screwed up, close all your panels and then click OK to retry."
Another would be, "You screwed up, would you like to cancel the transfer at this point or go ahead with the remaining items?" Wow, a dialog that actually gives the user a choice!
A third improved version would be, "You screwed up, I'm just going to cancel the whole transfer and hopefully you can try it again right away and get it right." Not as good as #2 but better than just forging ahead.

NetLinx Studio does none of these. I've brought this up before but nothing's been done, so I figured I'd suggest it again.

yuri · March 2008

ericmedley wrote: »
Auto indent is broke or doesn't work the same way. It goofes up my old code and drives me crazy. I do want it on, because I don't like hitting tab 4 and 5 times on each line.

I'm one of those poeple who indents both braces.

ex.
PUSH:
   {
   //   CODE CODE CODE
   IF(Some Condition)
      {
       //do something
      }
   ELSE
      {
       // do something else
      }
   }  // end PUSH:
However, whenever I re-open a project written this way, here's what the code editor brings up.
PUSH:
{
//   CODE CODE CODE
IF(Some Condition)
{
//do something
}
ELSE
{
// do something else
}
}  // end PUSH:
...very annoying with some of the complex functions I do...

If I turn off auto-indent, it will 'sometimes' leave my formatting alone. But, like I said, it's more annoying to bang on the tab key for every line.

i have seen this problem too on a new install of Netlinx Studio... I exported my (old) Netlinx Studio editor preferences and imported them in the new NS install, and the problem was solved... (ofcourse my auto indent option was set to 'on' all the times on both installs

)

avi_dave · April 2008

search and replace anyone??

Spire_Jeff · April 2008

There is a find and replace. I have used it a few times

Not sure where it is in the menu, I just use CTRL+h

Jeff

glr-fti · April 2008

It's under EDIT, REPLACE.

avi_dave · April 2008

O snap, thanx for that, you guys made my life so much easier I appreciate it

mpullin · May 2008

You know what would be a useful feature? An auto-format button. You click it, it scans the code you currently have open, and arranges the tabs/brackets/carriagereturns into the official AMX format. Flash has this feature for ActionScript.

I probably wouldn't use it on my own code, because my formatting style is different than the approved AMX style, but for programmers who inherit code from other programmers that is formatted differently than expected, it would be very very useful. Also if you change your editor settings and your tab spacing is thrown off, this button would be a one click fix.

jjames · May 2008

mpullin wrote: »

You know what would be a useful feature? An auto-format button. You click it, it scans the code you currently have open, and arranges the tabs/brackets/carriagereturns into the official AMX format. Flash has this feature for ActionScript.

I probably wouldn't use it on my own code, because my formatting style is different than the approved AMX style, but for programmers who inherit code from other programmers that is formatted differently than expected, it would be very very useful. Also if you change your editor settings and your tab spacing is thrown off, this button would be a one click fix.

I've been asking for a code beautifier forever.

Thomas Hayes · May 2008

I'll second that(3rd?)

ericmedley · May 2008

Yay! The new version of Studio fixed the 'Right-Click' over the code to compile problem.

richardherman · May 2008

I thought that someone would have mentioned this, but couldn't find it. It's a minor nuisance but it bothers me:

DEFINE_FUNCTION fnSomeFunction()
{
      STACK_VAR nVar1
      STACK_VAR INTEGER nVAR2
      STACK_VAR INTEGER nVar3, nVar4, nVar5

     <more>

}

All declarations are legal, but nVar1 get's no syntax highlighting, nVar2 and nVar3 do and nVar4 and nVar5 don't. Same goes for other types and other places where STACK_VAR's are used

Richard

GSLogic · May 2008

richardherman wrote: »
I thought that someone would have mentioned this, but couldn't find it. It's a minor nuisance but it bothers me:
DEFINE_FUNCTION fnSomeFunction()
{
      STACK_VAR nVar1
      STACK_VAR INTEGER nVAR2
      STACK_VAR INTEGER nVar3, nVar4, nVar5
}
All declarations are legal, but nVar1 get's no syntax highlighting, nVar2 and nVar3 do and nVar4 and nVar5 don't. Same goes for other types and other places where STACK_VAR's are used
Richard

Work-around: add "integer/char' before the variable to get the highlight for the other vars.
I'm in the habit of always typing:
stack_var integer nVar1 integer nVar2 integer nVar3
What will I do when they fix it, habits are hard to break???

richardherman · June 2008

GSLogic wrote: »

Work-around: add "integer/char' before the variable to get the highlight for the other vars.
I'm in the habit of always typing:
stack_var integer nVar1 integer nVar2 integer nVar3
What will I do when they fix it, habits are hard to break???

Mhh, doesn't that mean that nVar 2 and nVar3 will be LOCAL_VAR's?
You could write it like:

STACK_VAR INTEGER nVar1
INTEGER nVar2
INTEGER nVar3

When not specifying the type the compiler assumes LOCAL_VAR's

It will compile OK, but it doesn't mean the same thing. But maybe i don't understand you correctly?

Thanks,

Richard

Joe Hebert · June 2008

richardherman wrote: »

When not specifying the type the compiler assumes LOCAL_VAR's

STACK_VAR is the default. The help file is wrong.

DHawthorne · June 2008

Joe Hebert wrote: »

STACK_VAR is the default. The help file is wrong.

I long ago got in the habit of always explicitly declaring my variable types because of things like that.

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